One of the doctors (not an MSF staff member) who has been at the forefront of the fight against the highly contagious Ebola virus in Uganda has died of the disease.

Matthew Lukwiya, the medical superintendent at Lacor hospital in the northern district of Gulu where the epidemic was first reported last September, was buried on Tuesday (December 5). Ebola is highly contagious and can be spread from one person to another with the simple passing on of a cigarette.

Care and health concerns during an ebola outbreak is extremely high and there are rigid procedures regarding health, safety and prevention of contagion. Despite the levels of awareness and the constant awareness, it is often the care providers who are the most vulnerable.

The earliest three victims were student nurses who had been providing care to the first infected population. To date, 12 nurses have died in the Gulu outbreak. A total of 14 medical staff have died and another eight health workers are seriously ill. The ebola outbreak has so far killed 156 people.